Spaghetti Cowboy Films

Town Hall
1

Hey there Amigos and Amigas,

I recently saw a video on YouTube of a list of forgotten 60’s Westerns and a few SW’s made the list.

10 Underrated 1960s Westerns Hollywood Buried

What ended up catching my interest the most was when the narrator mentioned differences between a Western film and a Cowboy film - Westerns normally having a specific plotline such as range wars and robberies and Cowboy films being centered on a specific character or characters and the varied situations the characters end up in. This got me wondering and thinking if any SW’s could also count as Spaghetti Cowboy films based upon the above mentioned criteria.

Here’s a few examples I think would count

Mille Dollari sul Nero (1000 Dollars on the Black) - While having a great engaging plotline, Alberto Cardone does seem to put more focus on the very troubled relationship between brothers Johnny and Sartana Liston, and also the even weirder relationship they have with their mother.

I Vigliacchi non Pregano (Cowards Don’t Pray) - Mario Sicilliano definitely goes for the character study here with what’s supposed to be a good man going bad, even though Gianni Garko’s characterization of lead Bryan Clarke doesn’t give viewers any indication of him ever having been decent except the love he had for his wife.

Il Tempo degli Avvolttoi (Time of Vultures/ Last of the Badmen) - Kitosh, his journey towards redemption and self respect, and his bizarre bond with crazed outlaw Joshua “Black” Tracey feel like the focal point of this entry. The finale, which exudes Classic Western elevates the film.

California - has some good inner conflicts going on with the Michael Random character as he navigates what to do with his life after the Civil War but is really more Western than Cowboy film.

Let me know what you think could classify as a Spaghetti Cowboy and if you agree with my initial picks.

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Sounds a bit nonsensical to me. Spaghetti Cowboy Films? Lots of folks call westerns cowboy films. Because anyone with a hat and a six shooter must be a cowboy. Also, if you have range wars you have cattle so these would have actual cowboys. Most westerns probably arent actual cowboy films because none of the characters are actual cowboys. Especially the European western is utterly devoid of that subject, most characters are killers, bounty hunters, gangsters, revolutionaries or war vets.

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Yep, it’s a difference that does not make any sense to me.

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This all is a little bit of stretch I admit, but it was worth exploring. No regrets in asking.

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I think we should crowd fund a western of our own

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I’d give a donation for a new SW in a heart beat. One of my dreams is to write a professional screenplay one day, and a Western is at the top of the list to write.

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